AUTHORIZATION:

Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, 50 Stat. 917 as amended; 16 U.S.C. 669h-l; and 50 CFR Part 80-Administrative Requirements, Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts.

OBJECTIVES:

This program provides funds for the enhancement of hunter and archery education programs and the enhancement or construction of firearm shooting ranges and archery ranges.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Formula Grants Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

This program provides funds for the enhancement of: 1. hunter education porgrams, hunter and sporting firearms programs, and hunter development programs; 2. interstate coordination and development of hunter education programs; 3. bow hunter and archery education, safety, and development programs; 4. construction of firearm or archery shooting ranges; and 5. updating safety features of firearm and archery ranges. Law enforcement and public relations are not eligible under the Act.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Agencies from teh 50 States, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa with primary responsibility for fish and wildlife conservation may submit grant proposals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To be eligible, they must pass assent legislation to the provisions of the Act for the conservation of wildlife that include a prohibition against the diversion of license fees paid by hunters for any other purpose than the administration of the fish and wildlife agency.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   General Public (While direct participation is limited to fish and wildlife agencies, the general public will ultimately benefit from these wildlife conservation measures).

Credentials/Documentation:   States, Commonwealths, or territories must notify the Secretary the desire to participate annually. The State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife Director must furnish a certification of the number of paid hunting-license holders. Allowable costs are determined in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.". This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Pre-application Coordination:   Agencies from the 50 States, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa with primary responsibility for fish and wildlife conservation may submit grant proposals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To be eligible, they must pass assent legislation to the provisions of the Act for the conservation of wildlife that include a prohibition against the diversion of license fees paid by hunters for any other purpose than the administration of the fish and wildlife agency. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Grantees submit a grant proposal that includes a narrative statement describing the need, objectives, benefits, approach, and estimated cost for the proposed grant along with the standard application forms furnished by the Federal agency and required by 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments" and the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual. For further instructions and forms go to http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/subpages/toolkitfiles/toolkit.pdf or www.grants.gov.

Award Procedure:   The Regional Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service or his or her designee approves or disapproves proposed grants. Regional Offices are responsible for notification of grant approval to the grantee.

Deadlines:   Not Applicable.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   

Approximately 30 days.

Appeals:   

Regional Directors will consider the differences of opinion about eligibility of proposals. Final determination rests with the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Renewals:   

Grantees may renew projects on an annual basis if justifiable and if funds are available.

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ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Matching Requirements: Formula-based apportionment: the program is funded by a permanent appropriation for revenues collected from taxes on bows, arrows, archery equipment, sporting firearms, ammunition, handguns, pistols, and revolvers (16 U.S.C. 669b). The revenues are deposited in the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration fund in the U.S. Treasury. These funds are annually apportioned according to the formula prescribed by the Act are based on population of the States. No State may receive more than 3 percent or less than 1 percent of the total Hunter Education funds apportioned. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands receive up to one-sixth of 1 percent of the total apportionment.

States may be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the total project cost. The Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa must not exceed 25 percent and may be waived at the discretion of the Regional Director. The non-Federal share could come from license fees paid by hunters. Matching and cost-sharing requirements are discussed in 50 CFR 80.12, 43 CFR 12.64 and 43 CFR 12.923. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   

Any funds not obligated within one year by a State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife agency revert to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and reapportioned to States, Commonwealths, and territories that obligated their Section 4(c) Hunter Education and Safety apportionment on eligible hunter education and safety activities. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Information not available.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   A Performance Report is requierd for each grant award annually within 90 days after the anniversary date or end of the grant. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. A Federal Financial Report SF 425. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:   Cost records must be maintained separately for each grant. Records, accounts, and supporting documents must be retained for three years after submission of the final Financial Status Report.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:  

14-5029-0-2-303.

Obligations:   (Formula Grants) FY 15 $7,992,000; FY 16 est $8,040,000; and FY 17 est $8,000,000 - (Formula Grants) FY 15 $7,992,000; FY 16 est $8,040,000; and FY 17 est $8,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  

Range is $13,300 to $240,000; Average $145,000.

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